Medical Records...

Vidar · 12 Mar 2011 at 18:57

Hi Guy's

Basically I have a query in regards to my medical records, a couple of years ago I was misdiagnosed with having depression, I had Sleep Apnea as it turns out... Basically my apnea is now being effectivley managed

My question is Can my diagnosis of depression be removed from my Medical Records and if so how would I go about it?

Raymond Lin · 12 Mar 2011 at 18:59

No, records is a history of your past, and you can't change the past. The records will show that it was a misdiagnosis and that is that.

If you think you can delete that page, you can't. At least i dont think you can.

Dr.EM · 12 Mar 2011 at 19:09

Out of interest, how could having depression on your records affect someone in life? Is it pertinent when seeking employment? Perhaps only in some cases?

shine · 12 Mar 2011 at 19:12

It can affect insurance e.g. life, private medical etc.

Vidar · 12 Mar 2011 at 19:16

Every job I've ever applied for has asked for a medical history, Depression for example is still viewed poorly and will be used to judge your suitability, rightly or wrongly! Certain jobs will completley rule you out because of it, the police for example

Castiel · 12 Mar 2011 at 19:21

shine said:
It can affect insurance e.g. life, private medical etc.

NW_SKINHEAD said:
Every job I've ever applied for has asked for a medical history, Depression for example is still viewed poorly and will be used to judge your suitability, rightly or wrongly! Certain jobs will completley rule you out because of it, the police for example

It only needs be declared if it was diagnosed, if it was later found to be a misdiagnosis then it is not relevant to either Employment or Insurance.

SexyGreyFox · 12 Mar 2011 at 20:58

NW_SKINHEAD said:
Hi Guy's

Basically I have a query in regards to my medical records, a couple of years ago I was misdiagnosed with having depression, I had Sleep Apnea as it turns out... Basically my apnea is now being effectivley managed

My question is Can my diagnosis of depression be removed from my Medical Records and if so how would I go about it?

Ooh, part of my expertise and told to me by one of our OCUK members Mother who is the Information Manager for a Trust.

The only way it can be removed is if you wanted to hire a Solicitor and go to court and obviously pay all the costs.
The other way is to have it put in a sealed envelope but if a prospective employee wanted to see them that alone would arouse suspicion.
Basically what has been said in the past still has to stay in the Medical Records but you could ask for an updated letter to be put in there which explains it was a misdiagnosis.
Another way is if the main Clinician decided it was not wise to disclose certain records.

Anyway, why would once having depression be of a worry to you?
I ended up in a Mental Hospital at one time and I was still taken on in jobs with them knowing my ex problems.

MrMoonX · 12 Mar 2011 at 21:35

employers cant see your medical records, you can be asked to give consent for them to apply to your doctor for a report, not your entire records, bit of mis information going on here

Energize · 12 Mar 2011 at 22:09

dmpoole said:
Anyway, why would once having depression be of a worry to you?
I ended up in a Mental Hospital at one time and I was still taken on in jobs with them knowing my ex problems.

Because some employers discriminate, it's really disgraceful that employers are even allowed to request such information, this country has terrible discrimination laws.

soundb0y · 12 Mar 2011 at 22:13

MrMoonX said:
employers cant see your medical records, you can be asked to give consent for them to apply to your doctor for a report, not your entire records, bit of mis information going on here

Employers could also request you sign a form consenting for them to obtain a copy of your records.

Deadbeat · 12 Mar 2011 at 22:16

NW_SKINHEAD said:
My question is can I sue?

Fixed

Vidar · 12 Mar 2011 at 22:20

Deadbeat said:
Fixed

Excuse me but why have you misquoted me? What makes you think I would have any interest in pursuing a claim over a misdiagnosis?

Chris [BEANS] · 12 Mar 2011 at 22:42

Bet you can have it changed... The above posts do seem to be better informed than me as far as medical records go, but I know for a fact that your PNC (Police National Computer) record can be am amended in exceptional circumstances.
These 'exceptional' circumstances can be one of a thousand different things, but certainly if you were wrongly arrested and the record of that arrest would negatively affect your career.
Don't see the difference between wrongful arrest and wrongful diagnosis in this circumstance. It's all because of the good old Human Rights Act....

Chris [BEANS] · 12 Mar 2011 at 22:43

oops, quoted instead of editing?!

Raymond Lin · 12 Mar 2011 at 22:48

soundb0y said:
Employers could also request you sign a form consenting for them to obtain a copy of your records.

Yes they can, we request those all the time for legal proceedings.

MehulLakhani · 12 Mar 2011 at 23:10

Hi All

I am a GP in NW-London. We have had a couple of cases like this before. There is a slightly more complex way that the records can be modified - they can never be deleted. It is also much more involved if you have moved surgery , or the GP who saw you at the time has left/retired.

If they are still working there, you can have a meeting with them, and with some witnesses, and the notes can be modifed, by a note being added to the entry from the past - something along the lines of " Written in retrospect, March 2011, with regards to entry Sept 1987 . . . . . etc etc"

This way, it is actually recorded on your notes at the correct chronological point, and therfore more likely to be picked up when your records are looked at , as opposed to just having a standalone letter on your notes.

R

Mehul

soundb0y · 12 Mar 2011 at 23:28

Raymond Lin said:
Yes they can, we request those all the time for legal proceedings.

As do we. A pesky form to get back!

Woden · 12 Mar 2011 at 23:43

It cant be removed, but I do have to say even if the diagnosis was correct it wont stop you getting a job. Except fireman, police army etc. I have correctly been diagnosed as psychotic (god am I going to get flack for admitting that) but I am still working a decent job. Whatever the medical problem has been (psychosis in my case, sleep apnea in yours), instead of it being a debilitating problem, its something you have overcome, made your own.

Jolteh · 13 Mar 2011 at 10:00

It can be removed.

Your medical record is just a file on your GP's server, they can be amended with a few clicks.

Me and my brother used to add all sorts of crazy stuff to each others medical records for a laugh - at one point I even changed his gender on it to female.

Have a chat with your GP. They've got no obligation to change anything, but doctors mostly just want to help people and if you explain the situation to them quite often they'll be more than helpful.

A single diagnosis of depression is no big deal though. It's never gonna affect your job prospects.

soundb0y · 13 Mar 2011 at 10:23

Jolteh said:
It can be removed.

Your medical record is just a file on your GP's server, they can be amended with a few clicks.

Me and my brother used to add all sorts of crazy stuff to each others medical records for a laugh - at one point I even changed his gender on it to female.

.

Not true there are hard copies of notes and I bet you were not able to remove passed diagnoses' from these.